3/4 (2017) - full transcript

Mila is a gifted pianist with a bright future, yet her father pays more attention to the rings of Saturn than to her goals, and her brother tries to distract her with his unwanted talent for the absurd. A portrait of a family, struggling to find meaning during their last summer together.

Shakira, catch.

Shakira, pass.

Shakira, no.

Shakira, careful.

Shakira, pass the bottle.

Shakira, pass.

Shakira, no.

Shakira, why?

Shakira, because.

Shakira, Ganka likes you.

Shakira, go to Shakira hell.



Shakira, lie down.

Lie down.

Niki?

I'll break your legs.
- Go for it.

Shakira, go for it.

Shakira, turn around.

Shakira, you scared?

Yes.

Shakira, what?

Shakira, I won't Shakira let you.

Shakira, lie down.
- Shakira, fine.

Shakira, turn.

Shakira, I can see your pants.

Shakira, jump from there.



Shakira, fail.

Guys, what's too late in the 8th grade?

To do "it".

To do "boom shaka-laka"? 9th grade.

To do Shakira.

Man, 8th grade is too early.
- Yeah.

No earlier than 12th.
- Yes.

I'd do it in the 10th, no earlier.
- Me too.

Screwy fuck.

You can't hold back till then.
- You can't hold back.

I dare you to go over there,
raise your hands and yell:

I'm abnormal, don't come near me.

So that everyone can hear, not just us.

Fine. Hope my voice won't crack.

Where? About here?

Yes, there.
- At the top of your voice.

I'm abnormal.

Don't come near me.

Quick.
- Move.

Come on.

You're so small, you'll have
to parachute from this fence.

Yes, yes.

And from the edge of the carpet, too.

I drive a big...

You drive what?

A big jeep and I've driven it on roads.

Bravo. With your dad?

You want a medal?
- Yes.

You want a jar of jam?

Are you afraid...

to walk on the other side?

No, I'm not.

Will you do it?

No.

Chicken.

And will you?
- If there were no cars.

With no cars, I'd do it too.

Go now! There are no cars.

You go.
- And you?

It was your idea.
- But you said, you'd go.

Here, you want your roof repaired?

Come on, are you really afraid?
- No, I'm not. But what's the point?

Come on. On the highway.
Highway, highway.

You didn't drink the beer.
- And you chucked it over there.

Well...

On the highway.
- Are you insane?

There's no cars.
- Sure, then one comes and flattens me.

Out on the highway.
- On the highway.

Without making a sound.

Now as quietly as possible.

Fully relaxed.

Keep the same tempo.
Three notes at a time.

Don't slouch.
Sit straight and breathe.

The sound has to become infinite.

Touch the key like this, yes.

No.

Imagine now...

I want to practise it some more.
- Yes, we'll repeat it.

We have to polish your key stroke.

You have to be ready.

Then it won't matter
if one of them makes a higher fall.

That's it. You have to figure out
how to make it happen every time.

I know.

I know you love Sviatoslav Richter.

Thank God I had the chance
to see him in concert.

The last time, I was a bit older myself.

He played from sheet music,
not that he ever looked at it.

Then I grasped
what made that man truly great.

He was like an architect
visualizing the whole construction.

It was all in his head
before he played it.

You felt he was anticipating
the entire development of the music.

Now, in order to play with perfect legato

besides the technical approaches we tried

imagine the whole journey

not only the next tone or transition.

Thinking of the bigger picture,
we tend to accelerate.

The point is to hold back.
Let's go.

Finally, my time has come.

No, no, no.

Time for the piano to rest.

You don't want me to play, because you're
embarrassed I'm better than you.

I wish you had his self-confidence.

Me? No way.

Why? Self-confidence is important.

Who cares that I can barely play
"My dear Mommy"?

There's nothing wrong with
confidence, if it's deserved.

And yours will be.

That's exactly why I don't want his.
It's not deserved.

You need more confidence.
- Enough of it.

Buy it, steal it.

Where shall I buy it?

Kids, you'll get yourselves killed...

on our polished floor here.

Switch the lights on.

Niki, you can spend
some time in hospital

but your sister can't afford
an injury now.

There are great deeds awaiting her,
important deeds.

For instance, breaking her hair.
- I won't break it, I'll get it cut.

For instance, conquering
the world's greatest stages.

Or twisting an eyebrow.

Pardon?
- Twisting an eyebrow.

I've got used to ignoring him.

You...

You don't find him amusing anymore,
but I do find his talk interesting.

I have no teenager at home.
- He's always repeating the same.

Occasionally adding something new,
repeating it over and over.

What about your sweetheart?

You know that song?

The happiest day will come
when you are far away from me

No, I'm not so cruel.

Come on.
- To love or not to love.

Bye.

He's run away.

Bye bye.
Oh, dear!

The house is still standing.
He couldn't tear it down.

Are we chasing each other?
- Yes.

I'm great. Many people have told me so.

And who are they?
- Me.

Unless there's a bunch
of people in your head.

Me, my cowboy self,
my female self.

Oh, you've got a female self?

Yes. When I pretend to be a tart.

Hi everyone, I'm Nicoletta!

Tell me more about Nicoletta.

Come on!
- What?

Tell me more about Nicoletta.
- It's me when I pretend to be a girl.

Pretend for a little longer.

Hello everyone, I'm Nicoletta.
I love my lipstick and bodybuilding.

Hot chick.

Stop it. Come here.

You've got something green there. Wait.

Have you seen Mom crying?

No, I haven't.

And have you ever seen her upset?

I've seen her sad.

Does it make you sad
to see her like that?

Well, I usually ask her:
"Why are you sad?"

And she's like: "I'm not sad,
I'm just tired", but she looks sad.

Do you try to comfort her?

Just a hug can do the trick.

She tells me she's tired.

So what?

If you see her sad,
just do something.

Even little things, whatever.

Don't just say:
"Fine. What's for dinner?"

Rather say: "Mom, let me
help you if you're tired."

Don't tell her she's sad,
that will make it worse.

She doesn't want you to feel sad too.

In that case, trying to
help her will only make her sadder.

And when she gets sadder
I will get sad myself.

That's rubbish.

So, if I do nothing, she'll never know.

You haven't seen her down
even when you've argued?

She is more pissed off than sad.

And if you've done something stupid?

You have to go downstairs and help.

In a second.

Come on.

Go downstairs.

Niki.

Go.

Go downstairs.

If you don't, I'll...

What?

I won't leave you alone.
- Fine by me.

Aren't you ticklish?

Go downstairs.
- No.

Leave me alone.
- I won't.

What?

Are you going to slaughter me?
- I'll stab you.

OK, let go.
- I won't let go.

Leave me alone.
- Go downstairs.

No.
- Go.

Come on.

I'll cover you,
so I can forget you exist.

How did you carry all of this?
- Well...

He's got seven assignments
for tomorrow

and only just started them.

Did he make up that number?

He just ignored them all day.

Sounds like him.

He thought it was only one.
Turns out there's seven.

Ask him to come. If he's struggling,
I'll help him.

That's what I told him.
It's physics after all.

Well, fine.

OK. I'll tell him.
- Hopefully he listens to you.

Mila, before that,
there's something for you.

Where?

By the fireplace.

What is it?

Something for a young lady.

Like you.

Open it.
- I'll open it after dinner.

It's important to understand things.
You can forget a formula...

but you must understand the logic.

Have they shown you how to light paper
with a magnifying glass?

Yes.

The focus is where the paper ignites.

If this is the lens

and its focal point is
at such a distance

you position the paper
exactly where the focus is.

You hold the lens to catch
the sun's rays

and you put the paper
in the focus.

The whole energy of the rays

is focused on that single point.

That's why the paper catches on fire.

Everything clear with physics?

I didn't get anything.

I was just guessing.

I didn't get it at all.

Read it again.

I won't be long.

Remember Vasko?
- Yes.

I decided with him

and a friend from theoretical physics

to solve the problem of dark matter.

Solve the problem of dark matter?
- Yes.

We're outraged that it's not solved yet.

So we've drafted a plan

to solve it in a pub.

The initial idea was to meet
at a different pub every time.

Yet, this didn't turn out to be
as constructive as I had hoped.

In fact, things are not going too well

but if we stick to the schedule,
meet every two months

we made a rough estimate that it
should take us about 20 years.

I'm thinking about
what we discussed last time.

I thought about it too.

It just occurred to me...

could it be you're resistant to the idea

of going abroad
for a research position

because of your friends and life here?

Or because you don't know
what to expect there?

How can one be expected
to know what's coming?

Exactly. And that's perhaps
what scares you.

Are you building
my psychological profile?

It probably scares me.

You are young. A person your age
should have the zest

or audacity,
or whatever you call it

to dare to jump into the darkness.

It's not about jumping
into darkness or brightness.

Things are presented to me
as obligations.

Are you annoyed that I'm pressuring you?

I'm annoyed that everyone is
pressuring me. Not just you.

Who is everyone?

Do you think you are
the only person I talk to?

Hold on.

As we say.

When I'm looking at Jupiter,
am I looking into infinity?

Or am I looking at a very close infinity?

We have to live close to each other
so I can come and visit.

That is, we can all come.

Get it?
- Yes.

Like you in Germany
and me in Japan.

And then... on foot.

Well, if you have a private jet,
we'll just fly back and forth.

There will be no private jet.
- How come?

I'll blow all my lottery money on a
swimming pool and gold-plated loo.

You want a Japanese toilet?

They are like that, golden
with loads of features.

And for wintertime there'll be
a button for heating.

Yes, there is such a thing.
The Japanese ones will have it.

I'd love to see a Japanese toilet.

As weird as it sounds.

A Japanese toilet.

You know what would rock?

If I had three boys, and not all of them
were such scooter fans.

Imagine one skater, one biker
and one BMXer.

And if one of them was different...

and didn't want any of those?

That would be fine. He wouldn't have to.
- Fine.

And if he wanted to play the piano?
Maybe...

We'd send him to Mila,
their wrinkly auntie.

I won't be wrinkly.
Told you, I'll look like twenty.

But you'll be forty.
- Doesn't matter. I'll look like twenty.

You're draining so much energy.

That's what I'll miss most.

Your energy.

Me draining your energy?

In the evenings.

To help you fall asleep more easily.

My energy goes up
when yours goes down.

Like now.

Why are you so moody?

Fine.

Bucket of shit.

Look, there.

He's behind us.

What's up?
- Not much.

Oh, ninja.

You broke the glass.

You broke it.

Let's stop.
- No.

What a loser.

Enough.

Stop it.

Cut it out.

You've gone mad.
- Imagine a tramp peeking out.

Dudes...

thanks for the school book.

Imagine they left Mila
and me on our own.

Mom and Dad both gone.

That'd be super strange.

Why is she so anxious?

She is afraid she could fail.

Have you never been nervous?

Rarely.

I recently had a swimming exam.

I wasn't that worried,
because I knew I'd manage.

If she's freaking out, she'll only
perform worse. My opinion.

I agree. She told me she
has no control over it.

Buy her a punching bag.

I had one when I was younger.

When I got pissed about school
or couldn't solve some problem

I'd put on my gloves
and beat the shit out of it.

Now I've got a living one,
her name's Emmy.

Once she went to the seaside.

When she returned, we went
to fetch her from the bus station

and I punch her like that,
and she's like:

‟Oh how nice. Nobody's
hit me for a week."

Imagine wearing your beautiful dress.

And play from beginning to end.

Shake your pretty hands a little.

Like this, see?

Firmly.

Now the neck. Good.

Take a deep breath.

Strong to the end.

Fine. Carry on.

I messed it up again.

Let's go for some cake.

Today is not our day for playing.

Come on, get up.
- I won't.

‟I won't...” Come on, stand up.

Loosen up. Move a bit.

Look up, breathe towards
the sun. Come on.

Move a bit.
Shake up your energies.

Don't torture yourself.
It's good that you're demanding.

But you take each mistake as if

God knows what's happened.
Nothing's happened.

Okay, you heard it. Fine.
We'll fix it, we'll work on it.

Don't think it's fatal.

Even at a concert it's not fatal,
understand?

Sure.

And at an exam?
- Well...

It is fatal.

At the end of the day, things
happen as they should.

If an error occurs,
then it wasn't meant to be.

I don't want mistakes to happen.
- Let yourself go.

Listen to the music.

It got out.

Ignore it.

Why do they leave their gate open
when they have a dog?

How should I know?

Just asking.

You're driving me crazy
with that piano.

Piano, piano, piano...

Sorry you didn't get
to choose your sister.

Do something else. Cheer up.

How can I cheer up
weeks before my audition?

You were the same with Simona.

She's like: "Get up. Ease up."

And you go:
"No, how could I ease up?”

It's like eating apples.
You can't eat a thousand at a time

but within a lifetime you can.

Do you actually enjoy playing?

If I didn't,
I wouldn't have got this far.

Can't you study somewhere in Bulgaria?
- No.

Why?
- I've decided on Germany.

How did you decide it?
What's so different there?

Can't this professor take you
without the audition?

Sure.

You have any clue
what you're talking about?

Almost not really.

Shut up then.

Have you ever communicated
with squirrels?

No.

Have you?

Have you been kicked out of class
for eating tree bark?

Huh?

Huh?
- Yes.

Evil Mila. Evil.

How can you treat your brother like that?

What is wrong with you?
Why are you hitting me?

Are you normal?
- No.

How can you treat your brother
like that?

Evil Mila. Evil.

Sit down and think about
what you've done!

Who are you to talk to me like that?

Some pisser.

Give it to me.

Let go or I'll beat you up.

Niki, cut it out.
- Bang, bang on your head?

Let go.

Let go.
- No I won't.

I won't, I won't...

Stop acting like that.

Leave me alone.

I can't.

I can't.

You'll leave me alone.
- I can't.

You'll be alone in a few weeks.

Get it?
- I can't.

I'll never have to look at
your stupid face again.

I have no feelings for you.

This isn't coming out.

Just cut it.

Your sister is upstairs, right?

Is she tense?

Don't think so.

Did you hear that?

Is it alive?

Where will you leave it now?

We'll wrap it.

See if there're any plastic bags
in the kitchen.

To the right of the fridge.

You know where the plastic bags are.

You know what just happened?

I don't care.

What are you doing?

Almost there.

Let's go.

Hello.
- Ah, hello.

How is it going?

A little physical exercise
in the faculty of physics.

For your office?
- Eh?

For your office?
- Yes.

I guess, we won't be working
together anymore.

I mean, I've been thinking
about it a lot...

When we started here,

I thought I'd be happy to finish
it and continue with that work.

Yes.

And at this stage,

I have to admit to my inner self
that I don't want to finish it.

And...

at some point all those "good" things
keep piling up.

I feel I'm neither moving forward
nor finding any satisfaction...

I simply don't know.

At such times it might be best
to take a break, put things aside

look around, as they say.

I need to go to the loo.
- Yes, don't worry.

My granny used to make
a delicious cake. Still can.

But since I moved from Plovdiv...

You don't have the chance
to relish it so often.

No, she doesn't bake it anymore.
For whom?

My sister is in Sofia too.

As a kid I didn't like walnuts.

They cut my gums once. It hurt.

I can't swim for the same reason.

My Mom... When I was four,
we were at the seaside.

We went into the water, and she
met some fellow student of hers

and they started chatting.
I was no taller than the table.

Unwittingly, she let go of my hand.

And so I started choking.

That's one of my first memories.
Me drowning.

An experience of fear.

Let's go. We're starting.

What do you believe in?
Paradise, the black or rebirth?

Rebirth.

Same here. But I'd prefer
to be reborn as an animal.

Not a human. It'd be
school all over again.

If I knew that after death
there was another life...

I'd do lots of dumb things.

I wouldn't care if I got
shattered to pieces.

Are you fine?
- Yes.

When you reach the roof,
will you throw it down?

You have to catch it somehow.

But don't drop it.
- Sure.

Can you reach it?

Man, the pipe moved like hell.

Wait. Hold me.

Hold me.

Ouch.

Ouch.

Will you try again?

Now, if you step right here...

try to hold on.

Almost...

I'm holding you.

Did you make it?

I'm holding you, man.

Did you make it?
- Almost.

This is collapsing.

Can you catch it?

Hello, can you catch it?

Where are you? Kala?

Kala?

Hello?

Here you are,
the entire nation's here.

Not where the audience is.
Let's hide you.

I'll change my shoes.
- You are a bit late.

You've got your nice ones?

I haven't put mine on.

Have we got time for a cigarette?
- You have. Stella's also downstairs.

Stella's my colleague.

You'll meet her.
- Who's Stella?

She went for a smoke.
You'll meet her in the yard.

Good.
- Yes.

You look quite freaked out.
- I'm not. Can I go to the other room?

Don't know. Let's try.

At competitions I've noticed,
that style doesn't count.

Those who win
are the ones who show off.

So don't close up.

I'm dying for water.

Me too. I have some here.

I'll be right back. Don't worry,
I won't bother you.

Afterwards we'll have a drink
with the guests. I'll invite them.

I've prepared a little something.

Please, don't run away.

They all might like
to give you some feedback.

Fine.
- Especially Professor Radionov.

He always has inspiring things to say.
Hopefully he's in the mood.

His wife is a pianist too.
- I'd rather not know who's who.

Just don't run off.
I'll tie you up.

Alright.

You want a wet cotton ball
for your face?

No, I don't need anything.
- Good. You're fine.

Dear guests, now I can
officially welcome you.

Thank you for coming.

This is our last concert together.

Sadly, our collaboration
is coming to an end.

We are now looking forward to the
most important event in Mila's life:

her audition in Germany.

She's already mastered the language.

And I want Mila to be more confident.

I believe that today you can help her

in gaining that self-esteem

because she's got so many qualities.

From now on, my wish is for her
to be appreciated

to have her talent recognised and
to thrive in what she wants to do.

I will say no more for now.
I wish you a pleasant concert

and I wish Mila good luck!

Mila, a glass of wine to your health.

If I get drunk, you can all carry me.

You need more calmness.
Inner calm.

I know that.

When you turn to the audience, wait.

Look around. Bow.
- I feel embarrassed.

Don't jump up from the piano and...

Relax. You're in no hurry.
You're the most important person.

That will help you calm down as well.

Take confidence from the audience and
give back confidence in your abilities.

Try to sing the phrases.

Let them pass through your heart.

That will calm you down

and give the music your character.

Lenka tossed an apple

She tossed it and she enchanted it

The man on whom the apple fell

That man would be her husband

It's in dialect.

Her apple fell on an old man

The old man was filled with joy

and twirled up his moustache

He twirled up his moustache

and patted down his beard

Lenka burst into tears

Oh Mother, mother mine

What shall I do with that old man?

Oh Mother, mother mine

What shall I do with that old man?

It's a long song, but let me
tell you the ending.

The mother says:
"Dear Lenka, don't cry.

We'll send the old man into the woods,
where the woodcutters are.

Hopefully, he'll be crushed by a tree
and eaten by a bear."

What? Why so cruel?

How do you see yourself as an old man?

I see him like the guys from ZZ Top.
With a beard to his knees.

I didn't get it. You mean yourself or me?
- You.

I mean him, imagining himself.

How do you imagine yourself?

I'll move to my village,
look after my garden...

Will you have chickens?

Yes, why not?

Eggs.

A cat, a dog, turkeys?
- No dog.

I don't like turkeys.
Chickens lay eggs, but turkeys...

And kitties?

Don't turkeys lay eggs?

They do,
but I don't know if they're tasty.

And kitties?
- Kitties?

Cats come by themselves.
- No, we'll get you five.

Will you look after me?
- Yes.

Remember your words.
- Provided, you don't lose your senses.

Then you'll be in trouble.

Tell me something about
the occasion for this dinner.

Because we've got a nice occasion,
but I don't know much about it.

Because you didn't come.

I was there. It was very nice.

It wasn't that nice.

I liked it.
- You have no clue.

How many people were there?
- About twenty.

Not many.

How did you like the
atmosphere of the concert?

What atmosphere?

In the concert hall?
- The concert hall was Simona's flat.

You don't even know where it was.

We're talking about the concert.
- Exactly.

Exactly, you asked me about the hall.

The concert was at Simona's.

The space.
I picked the wrong word.

Don't pay attention to him.

We shouldn't pay
attention to you.

Niki, if you've got nothing to say,
go to the other room.

I have something to say.
- Then shut up. I don't want to hear it.

The greatest logic in the world:

If you have something to say,
shut up.

Because I know, what you're going to say.
- What am I going to say?

Will you shut up?

I don't know what you expect.

I expect a greasy slap.

Get the pancakes.

Not for me. Thank you.

Stay, don't go...

Go, call her back.

Can you have a conversation with your
friends when somebody next to you goes:

I'm serious.

Because you ruined everything.

I will say no more.

You ruined everything.
Absolutely everything.

Everything...

Everything...

Absolutely everything, everything...

Fucking hell.

Sasho?

Hello.
- Hello. You're already here?

Let me introduce you to those guys.

This is Todor, everyone.

Hello, everybody.
- Hello.

I've heard a lot about this party.

I wanted to take you...

And it's Wednesday.
I should have thought about it.

Wednesday, that's the idea.
- Every Wednesday.

You hate lightsabers,
because you're pathetic.

Kylo Ren was terrible.
He wasn't evil enough.

I liked the development of the
family drama and that rubbish.

Didn't like that they...

What happened now?

When are you leaving for Rozhen?

Let's not talk about
such sinister topics now.

Why not?

Did you try his phone?

He doesn't have one. It's broken.

You don't know whether he took it?
- What?

You don't know whether he took it,
provided he went out at all?

I told you, his phone's broken.

He had tummy ache yesterday.
- Did he?

Yes.

What was it?

I asked him today if all is fine.
He said yes.

What was it?

Maybe he ate something bad.

But it really hurt him.

Maybe he ran away with a friend?

Don't know. Perhaps with Kala,
but I don't have his number.

What shall we do?

Wait a second.

I'll kill him.

Niki!

Were you talking about this park?
- Huh?

Were you talking about this park?

We'll have to jump over it.

Yes.

Do you feel lonely?

Now?

Have you ever felt lonely?

Even when I'm amongst people.

But...

lonely in what sense?

Misunderstood?

As if others occupy their world
and I mine.

But...
- So...

Sometimes, one has to change.

Yes.

I'm sure that's right. In practice,
it doesn't work out very often.

‟In practice?”
You always talk like a teacher.

You sound as if...

... as if what I'm saying...

... doesn't go through
your entire being.

Do you understand?

I want you to really think about
what I'm telling you...

... and ask me why I'm asking you.

Or anything else...

You'll give us a heart attack.

Did you meet a bear?
- Just three.

I want to be a bird.

Sit up in my nest,
fly around and eat. That's all.

Especially here.
- Yes.

I've always wanted to fly.
Without wings. Just like that.

It would be so cool.
- With the strength of the imagination.

Those are my most cherished dreams...

when I'm somewhere up in the sky.

That's too much walking.

Save your strength.
There is a long ascent ahead.

Not that long, but...

... steep.

That's not fair.

What?
- It's too far.

Don't tread on my toes.

What are you trying?
- Kick my feet.

Wait.

We have to catch the same rhythm.